Among the three tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service, one touched down about 12:05 p.m. near Munds Park, approximately 20 miles south of Flagstaff, Weather Service meteorologist Brian Klimowski said.

The Weather Service confirmed at least three tornadoes striking the Flagstaff area since Tuesday. Several injuries have been reported.

A tornado ripped through the Bellemont area Wednesday morning, causing severe damage to houses and the destruction of multiple trailers, town resident Tiana Williams said.

"It was really, really crazy," Williams said. "It came right through just ripping up houses. Two of my neighbors' houses have been chopped in half. I literally felt my house shift."

BNSF spokeswoman Lena Kent says neither of the two crew members on the train were injured in the tornado Wednesday morning. The train was hauling cargo from ports in Los Angeles to the east and contained no hazardous materials.

Kent says the derailed cars are blocking both main rail lines through the area. The railroad expects to reopen one of the lines by midnight.

At least 15 homes in the Bellemont area are now uninhabitable leaving at least 30 people without homes, Coconino County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Gerry Blair said.

Blair also said that the Camping World RV park reported that 30 recreational vehicles had blown over and some were completely destroyed. Multiple Burlington Northern Santa Fe train cars were derailed as a result of the tornado's force, Blair said.

Williams said that there are holes in the roof of her home and all of her windows were blown out during the storm. She said that her 3-year-old daughter's bed was impaled with glass shards but that fortunately, her daughter had left her room in the middle of the night to sleep in her parents' bed.

The state Department of Public Safety closed Interstate 40 around 8:20 a.m. near Parks as a precaution because severe weather, possibly more tornadoes, has hit the interstate between mile posts 180 and 190 on Wednesday morning. High winds led to two semitrucks being blown over on their side and multiple collisions but there was no report of serious injuries, said Officer Robert Bailey, a spokesman for DPS.

Another tornado expected to hit Interstate 40 between mile posts 170 and 175, according to the Weather Service. However, the roadway is now completely open.

Arizona Department of Transportation officials encourage drivers to avoid using Interstate 40 between Flagstaff and Williams until conditions have improved.

US 180 was also closed in the Kendrick park area after tree debris fell into the highway but is now open, ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel said.

Tornado warnings have been issued in the Coconino county area since Tuesday, the Weather Service said.

Red Cross officials opened up a temporary shelter for the tornado victims in Flagstaff Middle School at 755 North Bonito Street in Flagstaff.

The shelter is equipped with cots, blankets and other supplies and has a nurse on staff to attend to the tornado victims, Red Cross spokeswoman Tracy Kiest said.

Several other tornadoes are suspected of having touched down in northern Arizona but cannot be confirmed until the Weather Service sends out storm survey crews, Klimowski said.
Includes information from The Associated Press